Elusive Marbled Cat Filmed

New video has been released of an elusive and little-known small cat, known as the marbled cat.

Similar in size to a domestic cat, it has very distinct fur marks, similar to a clouded leopard. It’s believed to spend most of its time up in trees—using its tail, which is nearly as long as its body, for balance.

Considered a “vulnerable” species, the marbled cat is rarely seen by people, and most images have been captured through motion-sensing camera traps.

This recent video from Northern Sumatra, was engineered by Marten Slothouwer, a Dutch filmmaker and founder of Eyes on Leuser, a conservation project, in cooperation with BPKEL, a government agency.

The group hopes to preserve the marbled cat and other animals in Indonesia’s Leuser region through education, by conducting anti poaching patrols, and stemming the tide of deforestation, perhaps the greatest threat to the cat’s survival.

The marbled cat is not alone in the forest. Among other animals, Slothouwer’s cameras also filmed a golden cat.

And there are big cats here, as well. A Sumatran tiger walked through and even pawed at the camera housing.